UNESCO and Euro Disney

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This Sunday will mark one month in Paris - wow, a month already. I have really enjoyed learning random facts about Paris. For instance, it is illegal for a business in Paris to be open seven days a week. If a business wants to be open on Sunday it has to have a special permit and be closed on another day of the week. If a company is open on a Sunday without the proper permit, it will be fined. I find this very interesting.

So, the big news of the day…I got an internship with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Unfortunately, the internship is not paid and there is a very slim chance that I will actually get a job in the future, but I will be learning so much. The organization needs someone to help with the English editing of papers and documents and web uploading. Not the most glamorous of jobs, but I am very happy to be able to have this experience and who knows, maybe I will impress so much and get a placement. Sadly, I have just loaded my plate so full, I am not sure if I am going to ever see any more of Paris, lol. When I am not at school during the week, I am committed to the UNESCO office, leaving my nights and weekends for homework. Considering I have six classes a week, I am likely to have just a hint of homework. Then again, life would not be any fun without challenges like this. Besides, it is so expensive to go out, being too busy is good for my pocket book, lol. I will just drink lots of wine at home, mmm, wine…

I did get to see an attraction the other day though, yep, you guessed it, Euro Disney. Sephia, a girl that I met from Montreal originally, but now Ottawa, really wanted to go. I had the day available so I decided to go with her. It is a lot smaller than the American Disney, but just as commercial and full of fantasy. I didn’t mind the amusement park, but I was almost more entertained by the enthusiasm of my counterpart. She has such an infatuation with Disney and has never visited either Euro or American Disney before and was overwhelmed. It is hard to go there and not be intoxicated by her enthusiasm, which was pretty cool. As for rides, we managed to hit most of the major ones. Additionally, we went midweek so the line ups were not as long. On some rides there was virtually no line at all. I think my favourite ride was Big Thunder Mountain. It was a roller coaster type ride and pretty fun. Space Mountain: Mission 2 was my least favourite. It had the fast roller coaster effect, but it was too much. I spent to whole ride trying to keep my head still for fear of whiplash if I moved. Phantom manor was pretty cool too. It was well laid out with elaborate and beautiful decorations, but it was really PG rated. If you are looking for a fright night haunted house, I would not recommend it. All of the rides were decked out with tonnes of detail and neat Disney art. When we exited the Pirates of the Caribbean ride there was a Jack Sparrow actor. Sephia also has an infatuation with Johnny Depp and I kept trying to get her to call up to him. We got some pictures though. We did learn a few things about Euro Disney too - take the RER A if you are getting their from Paris center, it is the fastest and cheapest; buy your tickets five days in advance online to pay less; give yourself lots of time. It was a bit of an exhausting day, but worth being able to say that I was there.

I start my actual classes this upcoming week. So far we have had ‘management seminars,’ which was in reality, resume building and career planning. I have more experience in resume writing and interviewing than I would like, but I did learn a few more things and perhaps one day I will be successful in my paid employment, which does not include slinging beer.
My classmates are an interesting group. I am in the marketing concentration of the MBA program and I am the only North American, which is a little interesting. In addition, I am only one of two native English speakers - including all of the teachers I have had so far. The majority of the students are from China, a few French, a bunch from Spain, one from Morocco, one from Iran, one from Australia, and me. I did meet a student who took the McRae international development program, which is in conjunction with this program. He took it in 2001 and didn’t get his masters right away. It is nice to have someone to relate with based on a previous program. Having said that, we are in different concentrations (finance and marketing) and probably won’t see each other much. The students who are in my concentration seem like a really good group of people and I am looking forward to getting to know them better and work on projects together.

That will be all for today
Hope everyone is doing well, I hear the west coast weather has been pretty good
Xoxoxo
Leslie

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Photos

Home Botox kit
I saw this in the pharmacy and could not not take a picture of it. For only 149 euros you can buy your very own howe Botox kit. If Botox wasn't bad enough, they have marketed it for home use. I wonder if it will be like home hair care. What happens if you botch it up?

Alice's Curious Labyrinth
Shesha anyone?